Slush pump valves



June 19, 1962 1 H. E. BOWERMAN 3,039,488

SLUSH PUMP VALVES Filed May 14, 1958 INVENTOR. HUL/E E. BOWERMANATTORNEY 3,039,48S SLUSI-I PUMP VALVES 'I-lulie E. Bowerman, R0. Box152, Arlington,

Filed May 14-, 1958, Ser. No. 735,313 Claims. (Cl. 137-51629) Tex.

This invention relates to valves and seats commonly associated withreciprocating piston-type pumps. Due to the severity of operatingproblems encountered in circulating the drilling fluids in the drillingof wells by the rotary process, I will direct the disclosures of myinvention to that art although my several novel features are equallyapplicable to pumps of this type in other services.

As is well understood by those skilled in the art, the circulatingmedium employed in the drilling of wells or earth boring commonlyreceive additives in the mixing vats designed to condition this mediumfor superior performance in cooling the bit and in floating the cuttingsfrom the bit to the surface of the earth through the bore hole about therotating hollow drill shaft. These additives also are designed to sealor close openings in water bearing sands or crevices in other formationsand to provide a suitably weighted material to shore up the sections ofthe well bore which may be inclined to cave or sluff and also to providedesired resistances to pressures encountered in the penetratedformations to prevent or control blow-outs. v

The circulating medium returned to the surface bears cuttings and othercontaminations from the bit and well bore as penetration progresses andthese cuttings of varying formations, after conventional, thoughfrequently quite ineffective screening or separating measures, finds itsway again into the mixing vats where it again receives additives orconditioning agents and is again returned by the pumps through the drillshaft to and through the bit back to the surface. The pumps applying theenergy to this circulating medium may normally provide operatingpressures of 4,000 p.s.i. or greater while operating at high rates ofstrokes per minute. This in turn causes the circulating medium to passover the faces of the valves and their respective seats at highvelocities, and as the valves approach a closing and sealing mate withtheir seats a jetting action of the contaminated medium occurs againstthese mating surfaces which results in a destructive channelling ofthese faces which erodes them away and renders them more susceptible tothe hammering of the valve as it closes under its own weight, the urgingof the sealing spring and the impulse of the medium. A severe hammeringoccurs by the valve on the seat and the retained contamination of themedium is hammered and ground quite destructively between and into thefaces of both the valve and seat.

It is to the correction of these faults that my invention is directed,which invention broadly provides a cushion and sealing ring of adistortable resilient materia between the valve and seat, which ringalso acts to impede or interrupt the velocity of the medium as the valveapproaches seating, thus alleviating the jetting and abrasive actions ofthe medium. A relief recess is provided into which a portion of theresilient material may be received upon being distorted as the valve andseat surfaces are brought together. Valves and seats embodying myinvention are easily and economically manufactured and installed inpresent pumps and have demonstrated service records far in excess ofvalves and seats heretofore in use. My invention will be readilyunderstood by those skilled in the art from the following descriptiontogether with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE I is an elevation partially in section of a preferred form of myvalve in open position;

FIGURE II is a section of valve and seat in partially closed position;

near its point of entry.

ice

Patented June 19, 1962 FIGURE III shows the elements of FIGURE II inclosed position;

FIGURE IV shows a modification of the parts of FIGURES I, II and III;

FIGURE V shows a modification of FIGURE IV.

In the several figures, like references indicate similar elementswherein 5 is a valve seat of conventional design having a face 6 adaptedto mate with a valve element 7 at its seating face 8. A rubber or otherresilient and distortable sealing ring-like element 9 is carried by the7 Valve and projects in part beyond the face of the valve as by sealinghead 10.

Conventional valve seats may have guides and bushings 16 adapted toreceive reciprocally guide pin 17, of the valve as the latter opens andcloses during the stroking of the pump. Through other conventional meansa compression spring is mounted and retained to exert a constant sealingurge against the valve. None of these are shown since they comprise nopart of my invention.

It will be noted in the several figures that element 9 for conveniencein manufacture entirely surrounds the peripheral terminus whichcomprises the lip 11 of the valve element 7. This arrangement permits ofgreat economies in manufacture since the element 9 may be molded toquite accurate surface dimensions about valve terminus 11 which lattermay be possessed of the usual variations incident to forgings, leavingonly the seating surface 8 of the valve to be machined to close seatingtolerance.

In operation, I first prepare valve body 7 of suitable design to receiveseal element 9 which with its ring-like projection 10 is preferablysecured to the body 7 by vulcanization. Guide pin 12 is projected intoguide bushing 16 of the seat and the compression spring not shown isoperably positioned on the valve. On the suction stroke of the pumpvalve 7 assumes the open position in FIGURE I, as fluid enters thecylinder of the pump, not shown, in the direction indicated by thearrow. Now as the suction stroke ends and the piston movement in thepump reverses to propel the medium which has entered the cylinderoutward through other valve ports not shown, the valve of the operationpresently being described closes and as it does so ring seal protrusion10 first contacts face 6 of the seat 5 and intercepts and interrupts thereverse flow of the medium between the valve and seat At this juncturethe pressure face of the valve exposed to the compressed medium receivesthe full force of the power stroke on its face which is required toovercome the resistance offered to the circulating medium by the workingpressures. As my valve approaches seating protrusion Ill firstintercepts the flow of the circulating medium which stops its jettingrush action through the closing part, then as the seating actioncontinues the seating ring '10 is distorted under the compressive forcesand provides a cushioned mating of the parts as they assume successivelypositions indicated in FIGURES II and III at which position part of theseal element has been distorted outwardly of the seat faces 6 and 8 asindicated at 9 of FIGURE III.

It will be readily understood that by a suitable modification of theparts with the selective hardness of element 9-10 any desired cushioningof the stroke may be achieved as the pressures or other variable factorsare encountered. By these variables also the speed of escape by theinterrupted circulating medium from between the mating faces of theparts may be regulated to effect the minimum of retention of detritaltherebeoween as final mating occurs. This greatly prolongs the life andefficiency of the metal parts. The shape of the terminus 111 of thevalve may be varied to effect desired retention of the sealing element 9between the valve and seat as desired.

As indicated in FIGURES IV and V a renewable valve mating face 8 withrubber seal and cushion may be provided by a metal ring member 13 ofdesired form which is secured by suitable means as by cap screws 14 tomodified valve body 7, between which I may provide a rubber-like seal15.

While I have described preferred forms of my inven frusto-conicalseating faces tapering with increasing di ameter toward the pressure endof each element, one of said elements having an annular groove adjacentits seating face and opposite the seating face of the other element andlocated near its pressure end when said faces are engaged; a sealingmember of resilient material filling said groove flush with theassociated face and havingan annular. bead extending therebeyond towardthe seating face of the other element, the other element including atransverse surface at its pressure end and the bead including enoughresilient material that when deformed by the mating of said faces thematerial will extrude out and partly overlie the transverse surface ofsaid other element.

2. In the combination set forth in claim 1, the valve element having atransverse pressure face at its pressure end and said annular groovebeing located between its seating face and its pressure face; and saidresilient sealing 4% member having a transverse portion at least partlyoverlying said pressure face.

3. In the combination set forth in claim 2, the valve element ha /in aperipheral lip located between the pressure face of the valve elementand the annular groove and extending toward the seating face of saidother element when the seating faces are mated.

4. In the combination set forth in claim 2, a ring of rigid materialoverlying at least part of saidtransverse portion of the sealing member;and securing means fixing the ring to the body at the pressure facethereof.

5. In the combination set forth in claim 1, said resilient sealingmember comprising rubber-like material bonded to the surface of theassociated member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,152,485 Carroll Sept. 7 1915 1,859,590 Koppl May 24, 1932 2,093,662Steirly Sept. 21, 1937 2,107,200 Kennon Feb. 1, 1938 2,192,425 AllenMar. 5, 1940 2,302,930 Anderson Nov. 24, 1942 2,372,629 Nelson Mar. 27,1945 2,397,269 Kelly Mar. 26, 1946 2,521,314 T-herolf Sept. 5, 19502,675,021 Allen Apr. 13, 1954 2,862,515 Briechle Dec. 2, 1958 FOREIGNPATENTS 27,909 Great Britain 1908 Notice of Adverse Decision inInterference In Interference No. 93,731 involving Patent No. 3,039,488,H. E. Bowerman, SLUSH PUMP VALVES, final )ucigment adverse to thepatentee was rendered Sept. 7, 1965, as to claims 1, 2, 4 and 5.

[Ofiicz'al Gazette December 14, 1.965.]

